Carabobo State attractions

North of the old town, and separated from it by the entrance channel to the harbor, is colonial Fortín San Felipe, later renamed Castillo Libertador. It’s a fine-looking fort, though in a state of disrepair. It was …

The sovereign state of Venezuela was born in this historic house on May 6, 1830, when Congress convened here and decreed secession from Gran Colombia. Erected as a hospital around 1710 (thus being the city’s oldest …

For a taste of unadulterated Venezuelan patriotism, visit the Carabobo Battlefield, 32km southwest of Valencia. This is the site of the great battle fought on June 24, 1821, in which Bolívar’s troops decisively defe…

This beautifully preserved historic mansion is the former home of Venezuela’s first president, General José Antonio Páez. He distinguished himself by forging a formidable army of llaneros (plainsmen) who fought unde…

Built in 1790 as a residence, this decaying building has graceful facades over both the historic streets Calle de los Lanceros and Calle Bolívar; they’re both next to each other and off the plaza. There isn’t much i…

The colorful Teatro Municipal dates from 1880 and is a replica of one in Havana, Cuba. It’s a beautiful theater with 617 seats, two balconies and a huge 640kg chandelier. Ballerina Ana Pavlova, tango songbird Carlos…

On the 100m-high hill to the south of the city sits this fort built in the 1760s to secure commercial operations. Reputedly the last colonial fort built in Venezuela, it commands excellent views of the city and the …

This museum in the popular Centro Comercial Sambil, 5km north of the city, is totally devoted to baseball fanaticism. It even has a pitching machine under the distinctive half-dome baseball roof of the shopping mall…

This colonial cathedral is about 420 years old, but it’s been altered by so many generations that today it’s a hodgepodge of historical styles. The latest restoration was in the early 1950s, which saw the ceiling pl…

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